Project Pride
Love, Generosity, Beauty, Truth
Project Pride is a group of LGBTQ and straight allied teens creating theatre that gives voice to their experiences, culminating in a production that challenges the assumptions and celebrates the diversity of the participants and audience.
We are a proud member of the Pride Youth Theatre Alliance, sharing and learning from similar queer youth theaters across North America!
Want to Join Us Onstage?
Project Pride is an annual project that meets in November, December, January, and February to create show material. We then rehearse in February for our final performance.
The creation and performance troupes are open to all LGBTQIA and straight allied teens ages 13-18 who have not yet graduated high school, regardless of theatre experience. Together we will all explore the topics that impact the troupe’s lives most through multiple creative avenues.
Our 2024-25 new troupe information meeting and celebration will be on Monday, October 28 at 6pm at The Coterie Theatre. Meet returning members and learn about what it is like to be in Project Pride! We’ll answer your questions and go through a mini rehearsal.
We are happy to announce our 2025 performances:
Saturday, February 22 at 7pm
Sunday, February 23 at 5pm
If you’d like to be a part of Project Pride, email Jason Coats for more information!
Information for Youth
Are you looking for more information regarding the LGBTQIA community in Kansas City? Or do you need through a support group or advocacy group? Please visit our community partners for more great resources:
816-931-0959
Over 5,700 men, women and children are living with HIV/AIDS in Kansas City. Over 700 are between the ages of 13 and 24. Be Ready to help those living with HIV/AIDS in Kansas City and to support our local AIDS service organizations.
AllConnect: Online LGBTQ+ Resources
In this guide, Allconnect researchers take a look at available online resources, as well as address the digital divide and homeless issues within the LGBTQ youth community.
Campfire USA – Heartland – All Inclusive Alternative to Scouting Programs
Camp Fire USA builds caring, confident youth and future leaders. We are inclusive, welcoming children, youth and adults regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation or other aspect of diversity.
24/7 Addiction Hotline 888-479-0446
Drug Rehab USA helps individuals locate proper addiction treatment and provide accurate recovery information. This webpage brings you directly to LGBTQ+ inclusive information, resources, and rehab locations.
Edubirdie — List of LGBT Scholarships
This is a list of scholarships available for LGBTQIA students, broken down by country.
Empowering Queer Activists and Leaders (EQUAL)
EQUAL is Kansas City’s for youth-by youth Gay Straight Alliance Network, connecting queer youth across the metropolitan area. EQUAL organizes an annual Empowerment Summit, National Coming Out Day and the Day of Silence. EQUAL will continue and expand its programming as The EQUAL Youth Center. The organizers believe that Kansas City’s queer youth deserve a safe, fun space with daily programming provided by a fiscally strong nonprofit organization with broad-based community support.
FCPA includes a youth chorus, youth theatre arts, and youth drum ensemble for LGBTQ, at-risk, and straight teen allies, ages 13-18. Offering a safe space for teens to grow and share their views on societal issues through the arts.
Gender Pathways at Children’s Mercy
816-960-4134
Gender Pathway Services at Children’s Mercy provides interdisciplinary, family-centered services for transgender, gender-variant, and gender-questioning children. Our services are aimed at supporting the physical, mental and social health of patients and their families as they navigate the process of gender identity development.
As specialists in pediatric and adolescent development, we recognize that each patient has a different “pathway,” so we provide care that is unique to each family. Our goal is to keep families informed of their treatment options, providing them with medical and emotional support, advocacy, and community resources.
GLSEN, Greater Kansas City chapter
4741 Central St, Suite 220; KCMO 64112; 913-608-4528
http://glsen.org/kansascity kansascity@chapters.glsen.org
The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
Gender & Sexualities Alliance (GSA) Network is a youth leadership organization that connects school-based GSAs to each other and community resources through peer support, leadership development, and training. GSA Network supports young people in starting, strengthening, and sustaining GSAs and builds the capacity of GSAs to: create safe environments in schools for students to support each other and learn about homophobia and other oppressions, educate the school community about homophobia, gender identity, and sexual orientation issues, and fight discrimination, harassment, and violence in schools.
As the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, the Human Rights Campaign represents a force of more than one million members and supporters nationwide — all committed to making HRC’s vision a reality.
(816) 753-5144
The Kansas City CARE Clinic is an integral part, the net under the safety net, of the health care delivery system in the Kansas City community. As it was formed to do in 1971, the Clinic provides basic health care services at no charge to people who cannot pay for care and to those who do not have insurance available to them. The Clinic helps keep the uninsured and underinsured healthy!
Kansas City Center for Inclusion
The Kansas City Center for Inclusion is a resource center. They provide a safe, welcoming community space where LGBTQIA+ individuals, their families, friends, and straight allies can come for education, resources, and activities; and provide community outreach in building a cohesive LGBTQIA+ community in the Midwest.
Kansas City Leaders Overcoming Violence with Education (KCLOVE)
816-561-0550
KCLOVE exists to increase awareness of issues of violence for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender youth in Kansas City, and provide resources for victims.
LGBT Affirming Therapists Guild
Kansas City’s chapter of the Healthcare Guild, a not-for profit a grassroots organization of licensed mental and medical healthcare professionals. The Guild offers support and resources for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Inter-sex, Gender-Variant, 2-Spirit, Same-Sex attracted, Asexual, Allies and other sexual minorities. The website includes a list of LGBT affirming therapists in the Kansas City area.
If you’re a prospective college student who identifies as LGBTQ+, it’s important that you research schools to make sure they’ve created a supportive environment. In this guide, you’ll learn how to research colleges and review additional topics such as the unique challenges LGBTQ students face and the resources and legal rights available to them.
Learn How to Become: LGBTQ College Student Resources
LGBTQ Scholarships & Financial Aid
This guide provides information and resources for LGBTQ college students and anyone else devoted to the goal of LGBTQ acceptance and affirmation. On this website you will find resources that are designed for LGBTQ students and anyone who supports them. From apps to campus organizations, there is help, assistance and encouragement there for the taking.
The second link aims to reduce the stress of college for LGBTQ students by assisting with one key element: financial aid. This website has information on scholarships and other financial aid for LGBTQ students – plus learn expert tips for overcoming hurdles during the application process, such as gender identification and parental estrangement.
Lesbian & Gay Community Center of Greater Kansas City
816-931-4420
The mission of the Lesbian Gay Community Center of Greater Kansas City is to create, support and provide vital and timely resources and services for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Straight-Allied communities of greater Kansas City. In 2008, the Center capitalized on the “COM” in the modern-day GLBT COMmunity, and began serving its members with revamped website and strategic plan.
24-Hour Crisis Line: 816-531-0233 or 913-642-0233
MOCSA exists to improve the lives of those impacted by sexual assault and abuse, and to prevent sexual violence in our community. Without support and help, the trauma of sexual violence can stay with victims for a lifetime. So we do everything we can to prevent these crimes from happening in the first place, and to offer support, healing, and hope when they do occur. We help victims become survivors.
The Modern Family Alliance was organized in 2002 by a small group of people in Kansas City who were concerned that local gay and lesbian parents and prospective parents needed a presence, a voice, and a way to connect with each other. MAFA supports LGBT parents in the greater Kansas City area and beyond to build families and raise children in a community that is respectful, encouraging, and inclusive.
Ozanam Pathways Program (Youth Mental Health Treatment)
816-508-6226
Ozanam represents more than 60 years of providing the best quality services to thousands of children and families who need it most. On its main campus in South Kansas City, Ozanam has grown from a single-service boys’ home into a multi-service treatment center offering both residential and educational day treatment programs for boys and girls ages 12 to 18.
816-765-9818
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays of Kansas City (PFLAG-KC) is a group of parents, siblings, friends, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people who: Provide a support system for the families and friends of LGBT people to enable them to understand, accept and support their children with love and pride; Provide education for individuals and the community at large on the nature of homosexuality; and Support the full human and civil rights of LGBT people.
The Safe Schools Coalition is an international public-private partnership in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, that is working to help schools – at home and all over the world – become safe places where every family can belong, where every educator can teach, and where every child can learn, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Street Outreach Services (SOS) at Synergy
24-hour Youth Crisis Line
816-741-8700
888-233-1639
Our Street Outreach team canvases Greater Kansas City helping homeless youth, up to age 22. The team provides basic necessities like food, water, clothing, blankets and hygiene products. Transportation and case management/referral services are also provided to youth as needed. For youth that want to get off the street, the team provides a bridge to Synergy House, our youth shelter.
Substance Abuse Prevention In The LGBT Community is a website with culturally sensitive peer support programs, therapy, and community services can help to reduce the risk of substance abuse and mental health problems in the LGBTQ community.
Suicide Awareness Survivor Support
913-681-3050
SASS unites survivors of suicide (family, friends, etc.) throughout the greater Kansas City metropolitan and surrounding areas. We believe the public must be educated about suicide. We sincerely feel that “Suicide is everyone’s business.”
855-401-8356
The Recovery Village is a substance abuse facility with LGBTQ+ focused treatment. They offer comprehensive treatment for dual diagnosis based drug and alcohol rehab, eating disorder and mental health treatments tailored to the patient’s specific needs. Focusing on healing the whole self, they combine top of the line medical care with wellness programs and holistic addiction treatments such as yoga and meditation, massage and equine resources.
A social, support group for trans and gender expansive young people ages 12-18 meeting 1st & 3rd Tuesday, monthly. Free to attend for self-identified transgender or gender non-conforming youth or those questioning their gender identity. Facilitated by fierce TGNC adult advisers!
Veronica’s Voice Youth Group – Kansas City
Are you trading sex for money, drugs, food, or a place to stay? Are you in a bad situation where this may feel like your only option? Or do you know a youth that is? Ages 13 to 21 We can help… This group will meet the last Thursday of every month from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. If you are in crisis or just need to talk call 816-748-0004 anytime. KC Free will be here to do sex education and STD/HIV testing for those that are interested. For more information please contact Veronica’s Voice Outreach Coordinator, Caroline at 816-483-7101 or caroline@veronicasvoice.org.
Information for Parents, Guardians, Adult Loved Ones, and Educators
It can be a very confusing and frustrating time when a young person in your life has come out to you. However your reaction can make all the difference in the world! Let the following research articles and support groups help you navigate:
The Family Acceptance Project™ is a research, intervention, education and policy initiative that works to prevent health and mental health risks for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) children and youth, including suicide, homelessness and HIV – in the context of their families. We use a research-based, culturally grounded approach to help ethnically, socially and religiously diverse families to support their LGBT children.
This link will lead you to key information from our research on how families can help support their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) children. These family education booklets have been designated as a “Best Practice” resource for suicide prevention for LGBT people by the national Best Practices Registry for Suicide Prevention.
Gender Pathways at Children’s Mercy
816-960-4134
Gender Pathway Services at Children’s Mercy provides interdisciplinary, family-centered services for transgender, gender-variant, and gender-questioning children. Our services are aimed at supporting the physical, mental and social health of patients and their families as they navigate the process of gender identity development.
As specialists in pediatric and adolescent development, we recognize that each patient has a different “pathway,” so we provide care that is unique to each family. Our goal is to keep families informed of their treatment options, providing them with medical and emotional support, advocacy, and community resources.
Kansas City Center for Inclusion
The Kansas City Center for Inclusion is a resource center. They provide a safe, welcoming community space where LGBTQIA+ individuals, their families, friends, and straight allies can come for education, resources, and activities; and provide community outreach in building a cohesive LGBTQIA+ community in the Midwest.
LGBT Affirming Therapists Guild
Kansas City’s chapter of the Healthcare Guild, a not-for profit a grassroots organization of licensed mental and medical healthcare professionals. The Guild offers support and resources for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Inter-sex, Gender-Variant, 2-Spirit, Same-Sex attracted, Asexual, Allies and other sexual minorities. The website includes a list of LGBT affirming therapists in the Kansas City area.
816-765-9818
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays of Kansas City (PFLAG-KC) is a group of parents, siblings, friends, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people who: Provide a support system for the families and friends of LGBT people to enable them to understand, accept and support their children with love and pride; Provide education for individuals and the community at large on the nature of homosexuality; and Support the full human and civil rights of LGBT people.
